Solid waste: integrated waste management.
The bill is part of ongoing efforts to enhance the effectiveness of the state's solid waste management policies, which have been criticized for lacking coherence and responsiveness to the growing waste challenges. By updating the legislative findings, AB2321 aims to support existing frameworks and provide a strong foundation for future regulatory efforts directed at solid waste reduction. The emphasis on conservation of resources, such as water and energy, also aligns with California's broader environmental protection goals.
AB2321, introduced by Assembly Member McCarty on February 13, 2018, seeks to amend Section 40000 of the Public Resources Code, focusing on solid waste management in California. The bill addresses the dire need for an integrated waste management program due to increasing solid waste generation, declining landfill capacity, and associated environmental risks. The legislative findings included in the bill underscore the urgency for state and local agencies to adopt robust measures aimed at reducing, recycling, or reusing solid waste, highlighting the pressing public health risks posed by current landfill practices.
While AB2321 makes nonsubstantive changes to existing legislation, it reinforces many existing concerns about the state's waste management policies. Critics might argue that simply amending findings without implementing substantive regulatory changes fails to sufficiently address the pressing issues surrounding solid waste and environmental impact. Proponents of the bill would assert that clearer legislative findings could pave the way for more effective action and policy innovations needed in waste management.